Tuesday, 28 December 2010

This week's Star Driver puts Benio Shinada, aka Scarlet Kiss, into the spotlight once again as we hit episode thirteen. I can barely contain my excitement, and I seemingly can't contain my sarcasm at all.

Anyhow, this soon episode gets into the swing of things by introducing Shinada as a kendo expert and recent winner of some tournament or other - no sooner is this established do we see her turn up to challenge Sugata to a duel; once which he defers only is she succeeds in beating Takuto in a kendo match. She does this, only for Sugata to tell her to try and beat him one more time, causing her to storm off in a huff.

Easily the most important aspect of this episode is that we finally reach the point where the Glittering Crux test out their ability to regenerate Cybodies, and of course it's Shinada who volunteers to be the guinea pig in this experiment. This also gives us an excuse to explain the link Benio has with Sugata, while the wider episode also explains her particular position within the Glittering Crux Brigade.

With the regeneration of her Cybody completing successfully, that means it's mecha action time again, and what do you know? Takuto wins again with ease and barely needing to break a sweat. So, another copy of the previous eleven episodes then... yawn.

I really have nothing new to say about Star Driver now - it's utterly dull and lifeless, and the plot of this particular episode was plain to see within the first five minutes of the episode, making Takuto's eventual victory even more of a foregone conclusion then it was already. With no peril, danger or intense action to this show's name, what is the point exactly? Answers on a postcard please, I promise to forward them on to the creators of the series in the hope it actually gives them a clue as to what they should do with this dead horse they insist upon flogging until the spring.